Hemoglobin A1c

versus

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is the sugarization or "Stickiness-index" which measures the percentage of hemoglobin - a protein, sitting innocently within the membrane-protected environment of the red blood cell, whose function it is to bind O2 in the lungs and release it in the tissues - which is covalently stuck to glucose (maple syrup)
Correlates virtually linearly with the level and duration (average) of glucose concentration over the preceding three months or so:-
60 mg/dl <=> 4%
90 mg/dl <=> 5%

120 mg/dl<=> 6%

150 mg/dl<=> 7%

180 mg/dl<=> 8%

210 mg/dl<=> 9%

240 mg/dl<=> 10%

270 mg/dl<=> 11%

300 mg/dl<=> 12%

330 mg/dl<=> 13%

360 mg/dl<=> 14%

390 mg/dl<=> 15%
Correlates with the pathophysiology glycosylation of (glucose-stickiness to) proteins in the vasculature
Correlates with small-vessel complications as glycosylated proteins cause more obstruction to red-cell flow in smaller caliber arteries than in larger caliber arteries

Target is an A1c of 7% Hemogobin sugarization with action suggested if the Hemoglobin sugarization exceeds 8%
Correlates with the life span of the red cell and is therefore dependent on a normal (3 month or so) red-cell survival